Tubing catcher



May l, 192.8,

P. G. LEONARD TUBING CATCHER Filed Apr1` 4. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 1, 1928. 1,667,733

P. G. LEONARD v TUBING CATGHER Filed April 4Q 1927 2 sheets-snm 2 E jef 'asfa/za/m/d 1%?,4 y a@ www Patented May 1, 1928.

vUNITED STATES PETER GUSTAF LEONARD, OIVWEST TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

j TUBING CATCHER.

lApplication filed April 4, 1927. SerialENo. 180,666.

My invention relates to a tubingfcatcher, and morevparticularly to catcher or anchor means used in conjunction with oil tubing, for the. purpose of anchoring and holding said tubing in the oil well casing upon any sudden rupture or drop of said tubing in the well casing. Y Y

The main object of my present invention is to provide a tubing catcher for automatically and unfailingly lanchoring the tubing in thevvell casing upon sudden drop of said tubing; and moreover to provide the device with means and arrange the entire construction so that the catchingl means can be also automatically released by a forceful or sudden pull onthe tubing, and the tubing can then be easily either raised from orv'again lowered in the well casing. Another object is to provide the catching or gripping means in the shapeof preliminary gripping means and main gripping'means, carried by ysaid preliminary gripping means, and becomingy effective upon the actual gripping and stopping of the latter. A further object 1sA to provide means tor' automatically and posi-'1 tively releasing both the preliminary and' the main gripping means by'a forcefulpull on thev tubing. Stilly another object isto provide means for safely retaining both sets of gripping means normally in their rcleased position, and including means for guiding the main gripping means and pre venting undue or injurious outward movement or swinging thereof.

These and other objects and advantageous ends are attained with my inventionA` as 'will become apparent 'from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is .an elevational view -ot my iinproved tubing catcher,Y shown in its release position ina well casing; y

FigQ is a vertical sectional view thereof, taken along line 2-2 on Fig. el, and showing the device in the grippingor operativefposition; Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but taken along line 3 3 on Fig. t;

Figs. t, 5, and G ar'e horizontal cross-sectional views,-taken respectively on lines fifa,

5&5, and 6 6 onv Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on line 7-7 on Fig. 1. l

In the drawings I have illustrated my invention inits preferred form of construction, which comprises a tubingsection or opposite sides of the central member orf tubel 10, and mounted on resilient arms or strips 14 which are fastened on a supporting meniber or sleeve 15 movable longitudinally on tube 10; said elementsy being placed in notches 1G insaid sleeve and movable transk versely therein against the inner wall of a wcll casing 1T. l i E preferably includes a plurality of elongated gripping elements or gripper slips 18 which i lare pivotallysupported 1n pairson thev preliminaryr gripping elements 13, as by means of a yoke or curved rod 19 pivoted with its intermediate portion or yokein an. element 13 and carryingVv pivotally on its two ends 19 a ,pair of these elementslS. Suitable gripping teeth `are provided on thev outward The main gripping meansv edges of these elements 13 `and 18 to bitev or grip firmly thepwell casingv 17, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and4 of the drawings;

- The means or mechanism for moving the gripping elements 13 and 18' into .operative or `gripping'position comprises a .spreading member in the form Aof a tapering collarl l mounted on the central tube 1U, and-positioned to engage the inward edges o'l elements 13 and spread or force these elements into their operative or gripping position. LThis collar Q0 is normally seated and held on, an enlarged portion or shoulder 21, surrounding tube 10, by theaction of an imprisoned spring 22 'whichA surrounds the tube between said 'collar and the upper guide f member 11. This spring and arrangement adapts the ldevice for use in various sized ne means for positively and automatically releasing' all the gripping elements, oi"

both sets ot' gripping means, comprises a releasing member or collar 25 which is positioned on tube adjacent the lower guide member 11. Upon an upward stroke orr forciblepull on thc tubing, this collar serves the purpose of breaking loose the conical member 2.3 from gripping elements 1S and forcing` said member upwards along said elements. ln the mean time the shoulder 21 on tube 10 has been effective in releasingl and lifting the tapered collar 2O up and tree from velements 13. Thus both sets of elements are positively released by an upward stroke of the tubing.

Further means provided, in the torni et guiding means, ior aiding said releasing means, andto guide the main gripping elements 18 into their release position and also into their operative position and to prevent excessive or undue outward movement thereof. This means comprises guide iingers or pins 26 at the lower ends of elements 18, and lugs or ears 27 at the lower end of conical member 28, having bores or holes 2S, to contain and guide said lingers. The meeting taces or surfaces et elements 18 and the lugs are also tajiered` or curved ata slant io assist the lingers in positively guiiling and reizurning the e elements into their original released position. ln the mean time the preliminary griljiping elements 123 lia've been returned to their retracted or released position by theresilient arms 14, upon withdrawal ot collar 2O by shoulder 21.

Operation of my elmiprovctl tubing catcher.

` This catcher device is connected to the well tubing and lowered therewith into the well casing, with the parts placed in their release position, as best indicated in Fig. 1 of ed thereby, namely 23, 15, 14e, 13, 1f), 1S, 2G,

and 27; whereupon collar 20, which is ,descending with tube 1() and urged by spring 22, then wedges elements 13 outward and forces them intov positive lgripping position, as best shown in Fig. 2. This spring 22 becomes moi'e compressed and permits tube 1() to sink farther through collar 2O when the device is used in a casing o1c greater diameter, and the gripping elements 13 and 18 must be spread farther apart, than in a smaller casing. In the-mean time conical member 23 has been engaged and forced downward by shoulder 21 on tube- 10, thereby forcing the main gripping elementsl 18 outward into positive gripping position, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and l; wherein-ion both sets of gripping elements remain effective in positively and securely holding thev string of tubing in a stationaryp-osition in the well casing, until the gripping elfements are released by my automatic releasing means, releasing` colla-r 25, 'provided with this improved device.

Vhen it is desired to release this catcher device and to withdraw the tubing from the well casing, it is only necessary to give a sudden oi' forcible upward pull or stroke on the tubing; in consequence whereof the shoulder 21 onl tube 10 will carry collar 2() 'upward from between the gripping elements 13, and spring arms 1% will then automatically retract and release said elements; while Y in the mean time spring` 2d has become suliicientl'y compressed to allow the Vreleasing collar 25 to strike the lower end of conical member 23 and positively force said member upward along the retarded gripping elements 18 to release the same; and these elements are then, through the action of lingers 26 assisted by the slantingly curved meet-ing faces at the ends of elements 18 and lugs 2i', furthermore drawn inward and' returned iiito their original release position. The parte are thus returned automatically to their origiinal release position, by an upward stroke on the tubing, and said tubing may thereafter be raised or moved freely in the well casing as desired, and all set for any further accidental dropping ofI the tubing;

Although-,this application discloses my invention in its preferred form, it should be understood that various changes in the coustruction may be resorted to and are-intended to be comprehendedhereby, asl 'far as wai'- ranted by the eXisting'prior art.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tubing catcher comprising preliminary gripping means and main gripping means, all normally carried released from the well casing, and means `for automatically moving` the gripping means, uponV a rapid drop, to grip the casing at any elevation therein.

2. A tubing catcher comprising preliminary gripping means normally held released from the Well casing and main ygripping means carried thereby, and means for moving said preliminary gripping means into gripping position automatically upon a drop at any elevation inthe Well casing and thereupon automatically forcing said main gripping means into operative position.

3. A tubing catcher comprising vaiious sets of gripping` means, all normally held released from the Well casing, means for aetuating said sets of gripping meansrin sncce'tsion, and lmeans for releasingsaid actuating means and retracting all sets of gripping means from the casing automatically by a pull on the device.

4. A tubing catcher comprising serrated Vpreliminary and main gripping means, operating means for actuating-'first thev preliminary means 'and then the main means automatically into gripping position upon a sudden dropping ot' the device, and means for' automaticlly releasing said actuating means and retracting all gripping means from the Well casing by a 'forcible pull on the device. f

5. A tubing catcher comprising preliminary and main gripping means, both normally held released and spaced from the Well casing, means formoving said preliminary means and thereupon said main means into gripping position, and 4means for releasing 'first said preliminary and thereafter said main gripping means automatically.

G; Atubing catcher comprising preliminary grippingmeans and main gripping means carried thereby, both normally held spaced 'from the Well casing, separate meansY for actuating said preliminary means and thereupon said main means automatically by a drop of' the tubing, and separate means .tor releasing said preliminary `means and thereupon Asaid main means automatically by a pull on the tubing.

7. `A tubing catcher comprising a central tube, preliminary and main gripping means mounted to move longitudinally of said tube Y and spaced from the Well casing, means movable longitudinally of said tube to automatically move said preliminary and said main means in succession into gripping position, upon a drop at any elevation in a Well casing, and means for automatically bringing said gripping means into their original release position.

A8. A tubing cat-cher comprising a central member, meansV movable on said member and having gripping means carried by resilient arms thereon to be normally held in release position, a collar for moving said gripping means into gripping position, and fixed means on said member for lifting said collar to release said gripping means automatically by a pull on said member. p

9. A tubing catcher comprising a. central gaging said tube and a member movable thereon, serrated gripping means supported on said member 10. A tubing catcher comprising a tube and a sleeve lslidable thereon, gripping means mounted with resilient arms on said sleeve for movement transversely thereof and longitudinally therewith, a slidable collar for moving said means .to operative position, and means for movingsaid gripping means against said collar to spreadthe means. Y

1l. A tubing catcher comprising a tube and a sleeve slidable thereon, gripping means mounted on said sleeve for transverse movement, a member resiliently held and movable on said tube, means for-resiliently supporting said sleeve and gripping means'and to move the means onto -the member for rendering said means operative, and shoulder means on the tube for positively withdrawing said member to release said gripping means.

' l2. A tubingV catcher comprising a tube and a member movable thereon, lgripping elements inovably carried by said member,

tapered means for spreading said elements, other gripping elements pivota-lly carried by the first elements, a member supporting said first member and said elements thereby, and a spring normally depressed by said supporting member but becomingoperative to move said'members and said elements' to spread the first elements by said tapered means and the other elements by said supporting member. upon a sudden dropping of the tube.

13. A tubing catcher vcomprising a tubeA movable longitudinally and 'a member y thereon, gripping elements carried by said member to remain normally in released position, means for spreading said elements.v

second gripping elements carried by the first elements,y a member normally supporting the first member and thereby all the gripping elements also being adapted to operate said second elements, 'a spring resiliently supporting said members and elements, and members spaced apart on the tube for enspreading `means and said supporting member to positively release all the elements by an-upWard stroke of thetube.

14;. A tubing catcher comprising a tube and a kconical member movable thereon, means With gripping` elements thereon adapted to be supported by'said member, gripper slips connected to said elements. means to force said member loose-from said slips and to release said slips and elements, and means tov guide said slips into their release position.

15. A tubing catcher comprising a tube and a conical member movable thereon, means movable to be supported by said member and Carrying gripping elements thereon, gripper slips carried by said elements, separate means on rthe tube 'for releasing said elements and slips, and guide means on said slips Aandsaid member for guiding `said slips into their original release position'.

i6. A tubing catcher comprising a tube, member movable thereon and having gripping elements mounted to be normally moved to release position, means for moving said elements into gripping position, a shoulder' on the tube for moving said means to release said elements,gripper slips connected to said elements, a spreading member to operate said slips, and moans to knock said spreading member loose 'from said slips.

17;. A tubing catcher comprising al tube, a sleeve with gripping elements resiliently larried thereby, a collar t'or actuating said elements, gripper slips pivotally carried by said elements, amember for operating said slips and being adapted tov normally support said sleeve and elements and slips in their release position, and means on the tube, including a shoulder to liftsaid collar also mea-ns to force loose the member from the slips, for positively releasing the gripping elements and slips by an upward stroke oi thetube, and to return them to their' original release position.

18. A tubing catcher comprising a tube, a sleeve and gripping elements mounted with resilient arms thereon to retract Said' elements,v a collar for spreading said elements, gripper slips mounted With yoke means plivotally on said element-s, a spring permitting said collar to adjust itself on the tube while spreading said elements, a conical member for spreading said slips, means to y guide the slips into release Aposition,means on the tube to positively lift said collar and release said elements by aA pull on the tube, a v.spring supporting said member and elements and slips which expands to aetuate them intooperative position, and a collar fixed on the tube to force said member loose irom said slips after compressing said spring, by an upward pull o'n said tube. e

19. A tubing catcher comprising a central tube, gripping elements and means for swinlgafbly supporting them, an operating member slidable on said tube for moving said elements into gripping position, a

spring on said tube to normally support (lll (iii

said member in release position relative to said elenientsv` and moans including a' relea-sing collar secured on said tube to com'- press said spring and then engage under s aid membervand positively knock it loose from said elements to release them'irom their gripping position, upon a forcible pullv on said tube. y

2l. A tubing catcher comprising a centri-rl tube, gripping elements movable transversely thereof, an operating member for moving said elements into gripping position, a spring on said tube to normally support said member and to be slightly compressed when said member holds said elements in gripping position, guide means secured to said tube and supporting said spring, and a releasing member secured to said tube above said guide means to engage sain operating member and positively knock it loose from said elements While said spring ha's'been` further compressed by said guidelineans, 'for releasing said elements 'from their gripping position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.v

PETER GSTAF LEONARDL 

